System and method for estimating and providing dispatchable operating reserve energy capacity through use of active load management

ABSTRACT

A method for generating a value for available operating reserve for electric utility. Electric power consumption by at least one device is determined during at least one period of time to produce power consumption data, stored in a repository. Prior to a control event for power reduction and under an assumption that it is not to occur, power consumption behavior expected of the device(s) is determined for a time period during which the control event is expected to occur based on stored power consumption data. Additionally, prior to the control event, projected energy savings resulting from the control event, and associated with a power supply value (PSV) are determined based on devices&#39; power consumption behavior. Amount of available operating reserve is determined based on projected energy savings.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional utility patent application is related to and claimspriority from the following US patent applications: it is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/775,979filed May 7, 2010, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/019,867 filed Feb. 2, 2011; U.S. provisional applicationSer. No. 61/215,725, filed May 8, 2009; Ser. No. 12/775,979; U.S.application Ser. No. 12/001,819 filed Dec. 13, 2007 and U.S. applicationSer. No. 11/895,909 filed Aug. 28, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,715,951,all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of electric powersupply and generation systems and, more particularly, to a system andmethod for estimating and/or providing dispatchable operating reserveenergy capacity for an electric utility using active load management sothat the reserve capacity may be made available to the utility or to thegeneral power market (e.g., via a national grid).

2. Description of Related Art

Energy demand within a utility's service area varies constantly. Suchvariation in demand can cause undesired fluctuations in line frequencyif not timely met. To meet the varying demand, a utility must adjust itssupply or capacity (e.g., increase capacity when demand increases anddecrease supply when demand decreases). However, because power cannot beeconomically stored, a utility must regularly either bring new capacityon-line or take existing capacity off-line in an effort to meet demandand maintain frequency. Bringing new capacity online involves using autility's reserve power, typically called “operating reserve.” A tableillustrating a utility's typical energy capacity is shown in FIG. 1. Asshown, operating reserve typically includes three types of power:so-called “regulating reserve,” “spinning reserve,” and “non-spinningreserve” or “supplemental reserve.” The various types of operatingreserve are discussed in more detail below.

Normal fluctuations in demand, which do not typically affect linefrequency, are responded to or accommodated through certain activities,such as by increasing or decreasing an existing generator's output or byadding new generating capacity. Such accommodation is generally referredto as “economic dispatch.” A type of power referred to as “contingencyreserve” is additional generating capacity that is available for use aseconomic dispatch to meet changing (increasing) demand. Contingencyreserve consists of two of the types of operating reserve, namely,spinning reserve and non-spinning reserve. Therefore, operating reservegenerally consists of regulating reserve and contingency reserve.

As shown in FIG. 1, spinning reserve is additional generating capacitythat is already online (e.g., connected to the power system) and, thus,is immediately available or is available within a short period of timeafter a determined need (e.g., within ten (10) to fifteen (15) minutes,as defined by the applicable North American Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC) regulation). More particularly, in order forcontingency reserve to be classified as “spinning reserve,” the reservepower capacity must meet the following criteria: [0008] a) be connectedto the grid; [0009] b) be measurable and verifiable; and [0010] c) becapable of fully responding to load typically within 10-15 minutes ofbeing dispatched by a utility, where the time-to-dispatch requirementsof the spinning reserve are generally governed by a grid system operatoror other regulatory body, such as NERC.

Non-spinning reserve (also called supplemental reserve) is additionalgenerating capacity that is not online, but is required to respondwithin the same time period as spinning reserve. Typically, whenadditional power is needed for use as economic dispatch, a power utilitywill make use of its spinning reserve before using its non-spinningreserve because (a) the generation methods used to produce spinningreserve capacity typically tends to be cheaper than the methods, such asone-way traditional demand response, used to produce non-spinningreserve or (b) the consumer impact to produce non-spinning reserve isgenerally less desirable than the options used to produce spinningreserve due to other considerations, such as environmental concerns. Forexample, spinning reserve may be produced by increasing the torque ofrotors for turbines that are already connected to the utility's powergrid or by using fuel cells connected to the utility's power grid;whereas, non-spinning reserve may be produced from simply turning offresistive and inductive loads such as heating/cooling systems attachedto consumer locations. However, making use of either spinning reserve ornon-spinning reserve results in additional costs to the utility becauseof the costs of fuel, incentives paid to consumers for traditionaldemand response, maintenance, and so forth.

If demand changes so abruptly and quantifiably as to cause a substantialfluctuation in line frequency within the utility's electric grid, theutility must respond to and correct for the change in line frequency. Todo so, utilities typically employ an Automatic Generation Control (AGC)process or subsystem to control the utility's regulating reserve. Todetermine whether a substantial change in demand has occurred, eachutility monitors its Area Control Error (ACE). A utility's ACE is equalto the difference in the scheduled and actual power flows in the utilitygrid's tie lines plus the difference in the actual and scheduledfrequency of the supplied power multiplied by a constant determined fromthe utility's frequency bias setting. Thus, ACE can be written generallyas follows:

ACE=(NI.sub.A−NI.sub.S)+(−10B.sub.1)(F.sub.A−F.sub.S),  [Equation 1]

[0013] where [0014] NI.sub.A is the sum of actual power flows on all tielines, [0015] Ni.sub.S is the sum of scheduled flows on all tie lines,[0016] B.sub.1 is the frequency bias setting for the utility, [0017]F.sub.A is the actual line frequency, and [0018] F.sub.S is thescheduled line frequency (typically 60 Hz).

In view of the foregoing ACE equation, the amount of loading relative tocapacity on the tie lines causes the quantity (NI.sub.A−NI.sub.S) to beeither positive or negative. When demand is greater than supply orcapacity (i.e., the utility is under-generating or under-supplying), thequantity (NI.sub.A−NI.sub.S) is negative, which typically causes ACE tobe negative. On the other hand, when demand is less than supply, thequantity (NI.sub.A−NI.sub.S) is positive (i.e., the utility isover-generating or over-supplying), which typically causes ACE to bepositive. The amount of demand (e.g., load) or capacity directly affectsthe quantity (NI.sub.A−NI.sub.S); thus, ACE is a measure of generationcapacity relative to load. Typically, a utility attempts to maintain itsACE very close zero using AGC processes.

If ACE is not maintained close to zero, line frequency can change andcause problems for power consuming devices attached to the electricutility's grid. Ideally, the total amount of power supplied to theutility tie lines must equal the total amount of power consumed throughloads (power consuming devices) and transmission line losses at anyinstant of time. However, in actual power system operations, the totalmechanical power supplied by the utility's generators is seldom exactlyequal to the total electric power consumed by the loads plus thetransmission line losses. When the power supplied and power consumed arenot equal, the system either accelerates (e.g., if there is too muchpower in to the generators) causing the generators to spin faster andhence to increase the line frequency or decelerates (e.g., if there isnot enough power into the generators) causing the line frequency todecrease. Thus, variation in line frequency can occur due to excesssupply, as well as due to excess demand.

To respond to fluctuations in line frequency using AGC, a utilitytypically utilizes “regulating reserve,” which is one type of operatingreserve as illustrated in FIG. 1. Regulating reserve is used as neededto maintain constant line frequency. Therefore, regulating reserve mustbe available almost immediately when needed (e.g., in as little as a fewseconds to less than about five (5) minutes). Governors are typicallyincorporated into a utility's generation system to respond tominute-by-minute changes in load by increasing or decreasing the outputof individual generators and, thereby, engaging or disengaging, asapplicable, the utility's regulating reserve.

The Federal Energy Reliability Commission (FERC) and NERC have proposedthe concept of Demand Side Management (DSM) as an additional approach toaccount for changes in demand. DSM is a method in which a power utilitycarries out actions to reduce demand during peak periods. Examples ofDSM include encouraging energy conservation, modifying prices duringpeak periods, direct load control, and others.

Current approaches for using DSM to respond to increases in demand haveincluded using one way load switches that interrupt loads, as well asstatistics to approximate the average amount of projected load removedby DSM. A statistical approach is employed because of the utility'sinability to measure the actual load removed from the grid as a resultof a DSM load control event. In addition, current DSM approaches havebeen limited to use of a single power measuring meter among every onehundred (100) or more service points (e.g., residences and/orbusinesses). Accordingly, current DSM approaches are inadequate becausethey rely on statistical trends and sampling, rather than on empiricaldata, to make projections and measure actual load removal events.

More recently, FERC and NERC have introduced the concept of flexibleload-shape programs as a component of DSM. These programs allowcustomers to make their preferences known to the utility concerningtiming and reliability of DSM load control events. However, DSMapproaches utilizing load-shaping programs do not meet all of thecriteria for implementing regulating reserve or spinning reserve, suchas being dispatchable within 15 minutes or less. Additionally, in orderfor a generating source to be considered dispatchable energy, it must beforecasted twenty-four (24) hours prior to being delivered to a utility.Current DSM approaches do not facilitate accurate forecastingtwenty-four (24) hours in advance due to their heavy reliance onstatistics.

Therefore, there is a need for utilities to be able to create operatingreserve, especially regulating and/or spinning reserve, by usingaccurate forecasting and flexible load shaping techniques. There is afurther need to involve the consumer in a two-way approach in which theconsumer can make their energy consumption preferences known and theutility can make use of those preferences to respond to increased demandand maintain line frequency regulation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a table showing the base load power requirements and operatingreserve available to an electric power utility.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how an active load managementsystem in accordance with the present invention provides additionaloperating (e.g., regulating, spinning and/or non-spinning) reserve to apower utility.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary IP-based, active loadmanagement system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary active load directoras shown in the power load management system of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating generation of an exemplarysampling repository at the active load director of FIG. 4 or some otherlocation in an electric utility.

FIG. 6 is a screen shot of an exemplary web browser interface throughwhich a customer may designate his or her device performance and energysaving preferences for an environmentally-dependent, power consumingdevice in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an exemplary web browser interface throughwhich a customer may designate his or her device performance and energysaving preferences for an environmentally-independent, power consumingdevice in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method forempirically analyzing power usage of power consuming devices andpopulating a repository with data samples resulting from such powerusage analysis, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method forprojecting energy usage for a power consuming device in accordance withan exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method forestimating power consumption behavior of a power consuming device inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an operational flow diagram illustrating a method forprojecting energy savings through power interruption to a powerconsuming device during a control event, in accordance with an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a graph that depicts a load profile of a utility during aprojected time period, showing actual energy usage as well as projectedenergy usage determined with and without a control event, in accordancewith an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a system for implementing a virtualelectric utility in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Before describing in detail exemplary embodiments that are in accordancewith the present invention, it should be observed that the embodimentsreside primarily in combinations of apparatus components and processingsteps related to actively monitoring and managing power loading at anindividual service point (e.g., on an individual subscriber basis) andthroughout a utility's service area, as well as determining available ordispatchable operating reserve power derived from projected powersavings resulting from monitoring and management of power loading.Accordingly, the apparatus and method components have been representedwhere appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing onlythose specific details that are pertinent to understanding theembodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosurewith details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe art having the benefit of the description herein.

In this document, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top”and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entityor element from another entity or element without necessarily requiringor implying any physical or logical relationship or order between suchentities or elements. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” and any othervariation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, suchthat a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list ofelements does not include only those elements, but may include otherelements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,article, or apparatus. The term “plurality of” as used in connectionwith any object or action means two or more of such object or action. Aclaim element proceeded by the article “a” or “an” does not, withoutmore constraints, preclude the existence of additional identicalelements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes theelement.

Additionally, the term “ZigBee” refers to any wireless communicationprotocol adopted by the Institute of Electronics & Electrical Engineers(IEEE) according to standard 802.15.4 or any successor standard(s), theterm “Wi-Fi” refers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEEunder standard 802.11 or any successor standard(s), the term “WiMax”refers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEE under standard802.16 or any successor standard(s), and the term “Bluetooth” refers toany short-range communication protocol implementing IEEE standard802.15.1 or any successor standard(s). Additionally or alternatively toWiMax, other communications protocols may be used, including but notlimited to a “1 G” wireless protocol such as analog wirelesstransmission, first generation standards based (IEEE, ITU or otherrecognized world communications standard), a “2-G” standards basedprotocol such as “EDGE or CDMA 2000 also known as 1XRTT”, a 3G basedstandard such as “High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) or Evolution for DataOnly (EVDO), any accepted 4G standard such as “IEEE, ITU standards thatinclude WiMax, Long Term Evolution “LTE” and its derivative standards,any Ethernet solution wireless or wired, or any proprietary wireless orpower line carrier standards that communicate to a client device or anycontrollable device that sends and receives an IP based message.

The term “High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPA)” refers to anycommunication protocol adopted by the International TelecommunicationUnion (ITU) or another mobile telecommunications standards bodyreferring to the evolution of the Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) standard beyond its third generation UniversalMobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) protocols. The term “Long TermEvolution (LTE)” refers to any communication protocol adopted by the ITUor another mobile telecommunications standards body referring to theevolution of GSM-based networks to voice, video and data standardsanticipated to be replacement protocols for HSPA. The term “CodeDivision Multiple Access (CDMA) Evolution Date-Optimized (EVDO) RevisionA (CDMA EVDO Rev. A)” refers to the communication protocol adopted bythe ITU under standard number TIA-856 Rev. A.

The terms “utility,” “electric utility,” “power utility,” and “electricpower utility” refer to any entity or system that generates,distributes, and/or resells electrical power, including any marketparticipant associated with an electric power grid, microgrid, etc.,that purchases power from a power-generating entity and distributes thepurchased power to end user customers, or that supplies electricitycreated either actually or virtually by alternative energy sources, suchas solar power, wind power, load control, or otherwise, to powergeneration or distribution entities through the FERC electrical grid orotherwise, or that schedules the supply of energy or ancillary services,such as operating reserves. Therefore, as used herein and in theappended claims, an “electric utility” may be a power-generating entity,a power-distributing entity, a retail electric provider (REP), anindependent system operator (ISO), an electrical grid operator, or anyother market participant, such as any entity that performs the functionof a load serving entity (LSE), a qualified scheduling entity (QSE), aresource entity (RE), or a transmission/distribution service provider(TDSP), as such entities and participants are understood by those ofordinary skill in the art in the electricity industry.

The terms “energy” and “power” are used interchangeably herein. Theterms “operating reserve,” “spinning reserve,” “regulating reserve,”“non-spinning reserve,” “supplemental reserve,” and “contingencyreserve” are conventional in the art and their uses and inter-relationsare described in hereinabove. The term “environment” refers to generalconditions, such as air temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, windspeed, rainfall quantity, water temperature, etc., at or proximate aservice point or associated with a device (e.g., water temperature ofwater in a hot water heater or a swimming pool).

The term “device,” as used herein, means a power-consuming device, andthere may generally be two different types of devices within a servicepoint, namely, an environmentally-dependent device and anenvironmentally-independent device. An environmentally-dependent deviceis any power consuming device that turns on or off, or modifies itsbehavior, based on one or more sensors that detect characteristics, suchas temperature, humidity, pressure, or various other characteristics, ofan environment. An environmentally-dependent device may directly affectand/or be affected by the environment in which it operates. Anenvironmentally-independent device is any power-consuming device thatturns on or off, or modifies its behavior, without reliance upon inputsfrom any environmental sensors. Generally speaking, anenvironmentally-independent device does not directly affect, and is nottypically affected by, the environment in which it operates, although,as one skilled in the art will readily recognize and appreciate,operation of an environmentally-independent device can indirectlyaffect, or occasionally be affected by, the environment. For example, asthose skilled in the art readily understand, a refrigerator or otherappliance generates heat during operation, thereby causing some heatingof the ambient air proximate the device.

It will be appreciated that embodiments or components of the systemsdescribed herein may be comprised of one or more conventional processorsand unique stored program instructions that control the one or moreprocessors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processorcircuits, some, most, or all of the functions for determining anelectric utility's available or dispatchable operating (e.g., regulatingand spinning) reserve that is derived from projected power savingsresulting from monitoring and management of loads in one or more activeload management systems as described herein. The non-processor circuitsmay include, but are not limited to, radio receivers, radiotransmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clock circuits, powersource circuits, relays, meters, memory, smart breakers, currentsensors, and user input devices. As such, these functions may beinterpreted as steps of a method to store and distribute information andcontrol signals between devices in a power load management system.Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a statemachine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or moreapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each functionor some combinations of functions are implemented as custom logic. Ofcourse, a combination of the foregoing approaches could be used. Thus,methods and means for these functions have been described herein.Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill in the art,notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choicesmotivated by, for example, available time, current technology, andeconomic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principlesdisclosed herein, will be readily capable of generating such softwareinstructions, programs and integrated circuits (ICs), and appropriatelyarranging and functionally integrating such non-processor circuits,without undue experimentation.

Generally, the present invention encompasses a system and method forestimating operating reserve (e.g., spinning and/or regulating reserve)for a utility servicing one or more service points. In one embodiment,the utility or any market participant associated with the electric powergrid, employs an active load management system (ALMS) to remotelydetermine, during at least one period of time, power consumed by atleast one device located at the one or more service points and receivingpower from the utility to produce power consumption data. The powerconsumption data is regularly stored and updated in a repository. TheALMS or a control component thereof, such as an active load director(ALD), determines an expected, future time period for a control eventduring which power is to be interrupted or reduced to one or moredevices. Prior to commencement of the control event, the ALMS or itscontrol component: (i) estimates power consumption behavior expected ofthe device(s) during the time period of the control event based at leaston the stored power consumption data, (ii) determines projected energysavings resulting from the control event based at least on the estimatedpower consumption behavior of device(s), and determines operating (e.g.,regulating and/or spinning) reserve based on the projected energysavings. The determined operating reserve may be made available to thecurrent power utility or to the power market through the existing (e.g.,Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) power grid. In one embodiment, theALD populates an internal repository (e.g., database, matrix, or otherstorage medium) with measurement data indicating how individual deviceswithin individual service points consume power or otherwise behave undernormal operation and during control events. The power consumption datais updated through regular (e.g., periodic or otherwise) sampling ofdevice operating conditions (e.g., current draw, duty cycle, operatingvoltage, etc.). When an ALD is first installed in an ALMS for anelectric utility power grid, there is little data with which to createregulating and spinning reserve forecasts. However, over time, more andmore data samples are used to improve the quality of the data in therepository. This repository is used to project both energy usage andenergy savings. These projections can be aggregated for an entireservice point, a group of service points, or the entire utility.

Furthermore, based upon the reduction in consumed power, the systems andmethods of the present invention provide for generating at the controlcenter a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction inconsumed power by the power consuming device(s). Importantly, the PSV isan actual value that includes measurement and verification of thereduction in consumed power; such measurement and verification methodsmay be determined by the appropriate governing body or authority for theelectric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) is calculated at themeter or submeter or at building control system or at any device orcontroller that measures power within the standard as supplied by theregulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of the grid. PSVvariations may depend on operating tolerances, operating standard foraccuracy of the measurement. The PSV enables transformation ofcurtailment or reduction in power at the device level by any system thatsends or receives an IP message or power control-related message to berelated to or equated to supply as presented to the governing entitythat accepts these values and award supply equivalence, for example of apower generating entity or an entity allowed to control power consumingdevices as permitted by the governing body of the electric power grid,e.g., FERC, NERC, etc.

PSV may be provided in units of electrical power flow, monetaryequivalent, and combinations thereof. Also, PSV relates to the abilityto reduce power by curtailment or by putting power back onto the grid,and the quality and value associated therewith. Thus, the PSV providesan actual value that is confirmed by measurement and/or verification,thereby providing for a curtailment value as a requirement for providingsupply to the power grid, wherein the supply to the power electric powergrid is provided for grid stability, voltage stability, reliability, andcombinations thereof, and is further provided as responsive to an energymanagement system or equivalent for providing grid stability,reliability, frequency as determined by governing authority for theelectric power grid and/or grid operator(s).

In an alternative embodiment, additional data may be used to helpdifferentiate each data sample stored in the repository. The additionaldata is associated with variability factors, such as, for example,outside air temperature, day of the week, time of day, humidity,sunlight, wind speed, altitude, orientation of windows or doors,barometric pressure, energy efficiency rating of the service point,insulation used at the service point, and others. All of thesevariability factors can have an influence on the power consumption of adevice. Some of the variability factor data may be obtained from publicsources, such as local, state or national weather services, calendars,and published specifications. Other variability factor data may beobtained privately from user input and from sensors, such as humidity,altitude, temperature (e.g., a thermostat), and optical or lightsensors, installed at or near a service point (e.g., within or at aresidence or business).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating how an ALMS operating inaccordance with the present invention provides additional operating(e.g., regulating, spinning, and/or non-spinning) reserve to a powerutility. Without use of an ALMS operating in accordance with the presentinvention, the utility has capacity equal to its base load plus itsregulating reserve, spinning reserve, and non-spinning reserve as shownon the left side of the figure. However, with use of an ALMS operatingin accordance with the present invention, the utility has additionaloperating reserve, which may be preferably used as regulating, spinningand/or non-spinning reserve (as illustrated in FIG. 2), by drawing powerselectively from service points through the interruption or reduction ofpower to devices, such as air conditioners, furnaces, hot water heaters,pool pumps, washers, dryers, boilers, and/or any other inductive orresistive loads, at the service points.

The present invention can be more readily understood with reference toFIGS. 3-12, in which like reference numerals designate like items. FIG.3 depicts an exemplary IP-based active load management system (ALMS) 10that may be utilized by an electric utility, which may be a conventionalpower-generating utility or a virtual utility, in accordance with thepresent invention. The below description of the ALMS 10 is limited tospecific disclosure relating to embodiments of the present invention. Amore general and detailed description of the ALMS 10 is provided incommonly-owned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/895,909, whichwas filed on Aug. 28, 2007, was published as U.S. Patent ApplicationPublication No. US 2009/0062970 A1 on Mar. 5, 2009, and is incorporatedherein by this reference as if fully set forth herein. U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2009/0062970 A1 provides details withrespect to the exemplary operational implementation and execution ofcontrol events to interrupt or reduce power to devices located atservice points, such as residences and businesses. The use of an ALMS 10to implement a virtual utility is described in detail in commonly-ownedand co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 12/001,819, which was filed onDec. 13, 2007, was published as U.S. Patent Application Publication No.US 2009/0063228 A1 on Mar. 5, 2009, and is incorporated herein by thisreference as if fully set forth herein.

The ALMS 10 monitors and manages power distribution via an active loaddirector (ALD) 100 connected between one or more utility control centers(UCCs) 200 (one shown) and one or more active load clients (ALCs) 300(one shown) installed at one or more service points 20 (one exemplaryresidential service point shown). The ALD 100 may communicate with theutility control center 200 and each active load client 300 eitherdirectly or through a network 80 using the Internet Protocol (IP) or anyother (IP or Ethernet) connection-based protocols. For example, the ALD100 may communicate using RF systems operating via one or more basestations 90 (one shown) using one or more wireless communicationprotocols, such as GSM, ANSI C12.22, Enhanced Data GSM Environment(EDGE), HSPA, LTE, Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), or CDMA datastandards, including CDMA 2000, CDMA Revision A, CDMA Revision B, andCDMA EVDO Rev. A. Alternatively, or additionally, the ALD 100 maycommunicate via a digital subscriber line (DSL) capable connection,cable television based IP capable connection, or any combinationthereof. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the ALD 100communicates with one or more active load clients 300 using acombination of traditional IP-based communication (e.g., over a trunkedline) to a base station 90 and a wireless channel implementing the HSPAor EVDO protocol from the base station 90 to the active load client 300.The distance between the base station 90 and the service point 20 or theactive load client 300 is typically referred to as the “last mile” eventhough the distance may not actually be a mile. The ALD 100 may beimplemented in various ways, including, but not limited to, as anindividual server, as a blade within a server, in a distributedcomputing environment, or in other combinations of hardware andsoftware. In the following disclosure, the ALD 100 will be described asembodied in an individual server to facilitate an understanding of thepresent invention. Thus, the server embodiment of the ALD 100 describedbelow corresponds generally to the description of the ALD 100 in USPatent Application Publication Nos. US 2009/0062970 A1 and US2009/0063228 A1.

Each active load client 300 is preferably accessible through a specifiedaddress (e.g., IP address) and controls and monitors the state ofindividual smart breaker modules or intelligent appliances 60 installedat the service point 20 (e.g., in the business or residence) to whichthe active load client 300 is associated (e.g., connected orsupporting). Each active load client 300 is preferably associated with asingle residential or commercial customer. In one embodiment, the activeload client 300 communicates with a residential load center 400 thatcontains smart breaker modules, which are able to switch from an “ON”(active) state to an “OFF” (inactive) state, and vice versa, responsiveto signaling from the active load client 300. Smart breaker modules mayinclude, for example, smart breaker panels manufactured by SchneiderElectric SA under the trademark “Square D” or Eaton Corporation underthe trademark “Cutler-Hammer” for installation during new construction.For retro-fitting existing buildings, smart breakers having means forindividual identification and control may be used. Typically, each smartbreaker controls a single appliance (e.g., a washer/dryer 30, a hotwater heater 40, an HVAC unit 50, or a pool pump 70). In an alternativeembodiment, IP addressable relays or device controllers that operate ina manner similar to a “smart breaker” may be used in place of smartbreakers, but would be installed coincident with the load under controland would measure the startup power, steady state power, power quality,duty cycle and energy load profile of the individual appliance 60, HVACunit 40, pool pump 70, hot water heater 40, or any other controllableload as determined by the utility or end customer.

Additionally, the active load client 300 may control individual smartappliances directly (e.g., without communicating with the residentialload center 400) via one or more of a variety of known communicationprotocols (e.g., IP, Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) in its variousforms, including through specifications promulgated or being developedby the HOMEPLUG Powerline Alliance and the Institute of Electrical andElectronic Engineers (IEEE), Ethernet, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi (IEEE802.11 protocols), HSPA, EVDO, etc.). Typically, a smart appliance 60includes a power control module (not shown) having communicationabilities. The power control module is installed in-line with the powersupply to the appliance, between the actual appliance and the powersource (e.g., the power control module is plugged into a power outlet atthe home or business and the power cord for the appliance is pluggedinto the power control module). Thus, when the power control modulereceives a command to turn off the appliance 60, it disconnects theactual power supplying the appliance 60. Alternatively, the smartappliance 60 may include a power control module integrated directly intothe appliance, which may receive commands and control the operation ofthe appliance directly (e.g., a smart thermostat may perform suchfunctions as raising or lowering the set temperature, switching an HVACunit on or off, or switching a fan on or off).

The active load client 300 may further be coupled to one or morevariability factor sensors 94. Such sensors 94 may be used to monitor avariety of variability factors affecting operation of the devices, suchas inside and/or outside temperature, inside and/or outside humidity,time of day, pollen count, amount of rainfall, wind speed, and otherfactors or parameters.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the ALD 100 may serve as the primary interfaceto customers, as well as to service personnel, and operates as thesystem controller sending control messages or power control messages to,and collecting data from, installed active load clients 300 as describedin detail below and in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2009/0062970 A1, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety. In the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the ALD 100 isimplemented as an individual server and includes a utility controlcenter (UCC) security interface 102, a UCC command processor 104, amaster event manager 106, an ALC manager 108, an ALC security interface110, an ALC interface 112, a web browser interface 114, a customersign-up application 116, customer personal settings 138, a customerreports application 118, a power savings application 120, an ALCdiagnostic manager 122, an ALD database 124, a service dispatch manager126, a trouble ticket generator 128, a call center manager 130, a carbonsavings application 132, a utility power and carbon (P&C) database 134,a read meter application 136, a security device manager 140, a devicecontroller 144, and one or more processors 160 (one shown). Theoperational details of several of the elements of the ALD 100 aredescribed below with respect to their use in connection with the presentinvention. The operational details of the remaining elements of the ALD100 may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. US2009/0062970 A1 and US 2009/0063228 A1, and US 2011/0172837, each ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, includingspecification and figures or drawings, wherein the ALD 100 is alsodescribed in the context of an individual server embodiment.

In another embodiment, features, functions and/or components referred toin US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0161148, Ser. No.12/715,195 filed Mar. 1, 2010, by inventor Forbes, Jr., which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety, are combinedadvantageously with the embodiments described herein.

In one embodiment according to the present invention, a samplingrepository is used to facilitate the determination of dispatchableoperating reserve power or energy (e.g., spinning and/or regulatingreserve) for a utility. An exemplary sampling repository 500 is shown inblock diagram form in FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the samplingrepository 500 is a means for storing device monitoring data and otherdata that collectively details how devices (e.g., a hot water heater 40as shown in FIG. 5) have behaved under specific conditions. Therepository 500 may be in various forms, including a matrix, a database,etc. In one embodiment, the sampling repository 500 is implemented inthe ALD database 124 of the ALD 100. Alternatively, the samplingrepository 500 may reside elsewhere within the ALD 100 or be external tothe ALD 100. The sampling repository 500 contains all power consumptiondata for devices located at a device or service point 20 or within autility and/or any market participant associated with the electric powergrid. Power consumption data may include, but is not limited to: currentreading, energy/power used or consumed, energy/power saved, drift ordrift rate, power time, user settings for maximum environmentalvariances, time periods (e.g., hours of the day, days of the week, andcalendar days). Taken collectively, this data is used to show howdevices behaved during normal operation as well as during control eventsin which power is temporarily interrupted or reduced to one or moredevices. The data may be obtained via passive sampling (e.g., regularmonitoring of devices at a particular service point 20 by the activeload client 300 associated with the service point 20) and/or activesampling (e.g., direct polling of the devices for the data by the activeload client 300 or the ALD 100). As discussed below, the samplingrepository 500 is used by the ALD 100 or other components of the ALMS 10to estimate or project power consumption behavior of the devices and todetermine projected power/energy savings resulting from a control event.The projected power savings may be determined using the power savingsapplication 120 based upon the power consumption data in the repository500.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary screen shot displayed to a user (e.g., customer)during execution of a customer personal settings application 138. Theillustrated screen shot shows a screen being used to set the customerpreferences for an environmentally-dependent device, such as an HVACunit 50, a humidifier, or a pool heater. The illustrated screen shot maybe provided to the customer in one embodiment via an Internet-accessibleweb portal 98 (referred to herein as the “customer dashboard”) when suchportal is accessed by the customer via a computer, smart phone, or othercomparable device. As shown in FIG. 3, the customer dashboard 98 may beconnected to the ALD 100 via an Internet service provider for theservice point 20 or may be implemented as a customer Internetapplication 92 when Internet service is supplied through the active loadclient 300 as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2009/0063228 A1. The customer dashboard 98 effectively provides thecustomer with access into the ALD 100. The ALD's web browser interface114 accepts inputs from the customer dashboard 98 and outputsinformation to the customer dashboard 98 for display to the customer.The customer dashboard 98 may be accessed from the service point 20 orremotely from any Internet-accessible device, preferably through use ofa user name and password. Thus, the customer dashboard 98 is preferablya secure, web-based interface used by customers to specify preferencesassociated with devices controlled by the ALD 100 and located at thecustomer's service point 20, as well as to provide information requestedby the customer personal settings application 138 or the customersign-up application 116 in connection with controlled devices and/orservice point conditions or parameters. Customer preferences mayinclude, for example, control event preferences (e.g., times, durations,etc.), bill management preferences (e.g., goal or target for maximummonthly billing cost), maximum and minimum boundary settings forenvironmental characteristics, and others.

FIG. 7 is another exemplary screen shot displayed to a customer via thecustomer dashboard 98 during execution of a different portion of thecustomer personal settings application 138. FIG. 7 shows how customerpreferences could be set for an environmentally-independent device, suchas a hot water heater 40, a pool pump 70, or a sprinkler system waterpump (which may also be an environmentally-dependent device if itincludes, for example, a rainfall sensor). Using the web browserinterface 114, customers interact with the ALD 100 and specify customerpersonal settings 138 that are recorded by the ALD 100 and stored in theALD database 124 or other repository 500. The personal settings 138 mayspecify time periods during which load control events are permitted,time periods during which load control events are prohibited, maximumallowable variances for an operating environment at a particular servicepoint 20 (e.g., maximum and minimum temperature and/or humidity), normaloperating conditions of devices at different times of day, and otherpersonal preferences related to operation of devices under the controlof the ALD 100 through the active load client 300 at the service point20.

As alluded to above, the present invention optionally tracks and takesinto account the “drift” of an environmentally-dependent device. Driftoccurs when the environmental characteristic(s) (e.g., temperature)monitored by an environmentally-dependent device begins to deviate(e.g., heat up or cool down) from a set point that is to be maintainedby the environmentally-dependent device. Such deviation or drift mayoccur both normally and during control events. Thus, drift is the timeit takes for the monitored environmental characteristic to move from aset point to an upper or lower comfort boundary when power, or at leastsubstantial power, is not being consumed by the device. In other words,drift is a rate of change of the monitored environmental characteristicfrom a set point without use of significant power (e.g., withoutpowering an HVAC unit compressor, but while continuing to power anassociated digital thermostat and HVAC unit control system). One ofordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that devices, such asHVAC units 50, which control one or more environmental characteristicsat a service point 20, are also influenced or affected by theenvironment at the service point 20 because their activation ordeactivation is based on one or more sensed environmentalcharacteristics at the service point 20. For example, an HVAC unit 50 incooling mode that attempts to maintain an inside temperature of77.degree. F. activates when the inside temperature is some temperaturegreater than 77.degree. F. and, therefore, is influenced or affected bythe environment in which the HVAC unit 50 operates.

The inverse of drift is “power time,” which is the time it takes for thesensed environmental characteristic to move from a comfort boundary to aset point when significant or substantial power is being supplied to theenvironmentally-dependent device. In other words, “power time” is a rateof change of the monitored environmental characteristic from a comfortboundary to a set point with significant use of power. Alternatively,“drift” may be considered the time required for the monitoredenvironmental characteristic to move to an unacceptable level afterpower is generally turned off to an environmentally-dependent device. Bycontrast, “power time” is the time required for the monitoredenvironmental characteristic to move from an unacceptable level to atarget level after power has been generally supplied or re-supplied tothe environmentally-dependent device.

The power consumption data for an environmentally-dependent device,which may be gathered actively or passively as described above, may beused to empirically determine the drift and power time (rate of change,temperature slope, or other dynamic equation (f{x})) that defines anenvironmental characteristic's variation at a service point 20, or atleast within the operating area of the environmentally-dependent device,so as to permit the determination of a uniquely derived “fingerprint” orpower usage/consumption pattern or behavior for the service point 20 orthe environmentally-dependent device.

Customers define the upper and lower boundaries of comfort by inputtingcustomer preferences 138 through the web browser interface 114, with theset point optionally being in the middle of those boundaries. Duringnormal operation, an environmentally-dependent device will attempt tokeep the applicable environmental characteristic or characteristics nearthe device's set point or set points. However, all devices, whetherenvironmentally-dependent or environmentally-independent, have a dutycycle that specifies when the device is in operation because manydevices are not continuously in operation. For anenvironmentally-dependent device, the duty cycle ends when theenvironmental characteristic(s) being controlled reaches the set point(or within a given tolerance or variance of the set point). After theset point has been reached, the environmentally-dependent device isgenerally turned off and the environmental characteristic is allowed to“drift” (e.g., upward or downward) toward a comfort boundary. Once theenvironmental characteristic (e.g., temperature) reaches the boundary,the environmentally-dependent device is generally activated or poweredon again until the environmental characteristic reaches the set point,which ends the duty cycle and the power time.

Drift may also occur during a control event. A control event is anaction that temporarily reduces, terminates, or otherwise interrupts thesupply of power to a device. During a control event, the environmentalcharacteristic (e.g., temperature) monitored and/or controlled by anenvironmentally-dependent device will drift toward a comfort boundary(e.g., upper or lower) until the environmental characteristic reachesthat boundary. Once the environmental characteristic reaches theboundary, the ALMS 10 generally returns or increases power to the deviceto enable the environmental characteristic to reach the set point again.

For example, an HVAC unit 50 may have a set point of 72.degree. F. andminimum and maximum comfort boundary temperatures of 68.degree. F. and76.degree. F., respectively. On a cold day, a control event mayinterrupt power to the HVAC unit 50 causing the monitored temperaturewithin the service point 20 to move toward the minimum comfort boundarytemperature. Once the monitored temperature inside the service point 20reaches the minimum comfort boundary temperature, the control eventwould end, and power would be restored or increased to the HVAC unit 50,thus causing the monitored temperature to rise toward the set point. Asimilar, but opposite effect, may take place on a warm day. In thisexample, “drift” is the rate of change with respect to the time it takesthe HVAC unit 50 to move from the set point to either the upper or lowercomfort bounds. Analogously, “power time” is the rate of change withrespect to the time required for the HVAC unit 50 to move the monitoredtemperature from the upper or lower comfort bounds to the set point. Inone embodiment of the present invention, drift and power time arecalculated and recorded for each environmentally-dependent orenvironmentally-independent device or for each service point 20.

In another embodiment, drift and other measurement data available fromthe ALD database 124 are used to create a power consumption behavior orpattern for each environmentally-dependent orenvironmentally-independent device or for each service point 20. Theother measurement data may include vacancy times, sleep times, times inwhich control events are permitted, and/or other variability factors.

The environment within an energy-efficient structure will have atendency to exhibit a lower rate of drift. Therefore,environmentally-dependent devices operating within such structures maybe subject to control events for longer periods of time because theamount of time taken for the monitored environmental characteristic toreach a comfort boundary due to drift after being set to a set point islonger than for less efficient structures.

In another embodiment, the ALD 100 may identify service points 20 thathave an optimum drift for power savings. The power savings application120 calculates drift for each service point 20 and/or for eachenvironmentally-dependent device at the service point 20, and saves thedrift information in the ALD database 124 as part of power consumptiondata for the device and/or the service point 20. Thus, power saved as aresult of drift during a control event increases overall power saved bythe environmentally-dependent device at the service point 20.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 800 providingsteps executed by the ALD 100 to empirically analyze power usage ofdevices and populate a repository 500 with data samples resulting fromsuch power usage analysis, in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention. The steps in FIG. 8 may be considered to implement apassive sampling algorithm. The steps of FIG. 8 are preferablyimplemented as a set of computer instructions (software) stored inmemory (not shown) of the ALD 100 and executed by one or more processors160 of the ALD 100.

According to the logic flow, the active load client 300 polls deviceswithin the service point 20, such as a washer/dryer 30, hot water heater40, HVAC unit 50, smart appliance 60, pool pump 70, or other deviceswithin the service point 20, and obtains current readings. Uponreceiving the current reading data from the active load client 300, theALC interface 112 sends the data to the ALC manager 108. The ALC manager108 stores the data to the sampling repository 500, which may beimplemented in the ALD database 124 using the operational flowillustrated in FIG. 8.

The following information may be provided as parameters to theoperational flow of FIG. 8: an identification (ID) of the device,temperature mode (either “heating” or “cooling”), duty cycle, currenttemperature read by the device, and previous temperature read by thedevice. Each temperature reading includes a device ID, a set point(which is only useful for environmentally-dependent devices), andvariability factor measurement data (as described previously).

Initially, the ALD 100 determines (802) whether the device used any, orat least any appreciable amount of, energy. If not, then the logic flowends. Otherwise, the ALD 100 determines (804) the time duration of thedata sample, the time duration when the device was on, and the timeduration when the device was off based on the data sample. Next, the ALD100 determines (806) whether the received data comes from anenvironmentally-dependent device or an environmentally-independent(e.g., binary state) device. If the received data comes from anenvironmentally-dependent device, then the ALD 100 determines (808) theenergy used per minute for the device, and determines (810) whether thedevice is drifting or powering. The ALD 100 determines that the deviceis drifting if the environmental characteristic monitored by the deviceis changing in a manner opposite the mode of the device (e.g., the roomtemperature is rising when the device is set in cooling mode or the roomtemperature is decreasing when the device is set in heating mode).Otherwise, the device is not drifting.

If the device is drifting, then the ALD 100 determines (814) the driftrate (e.g., degrees per minute). On the other hand, if the device is notdrifting, then the ALD 100 determines (812) the power time rate. Onceeither the drift rate or the power time rate has been calculated, theALD 100 determines (880) whether there is already a record in thesampling repository 500 for the device being measured under the presentoperating conditions of the device (e.g., set point and othervariability factors (e.g., outside temperature)). If there is noexisting record, then the ALD 100 creates (882) a new record using, forexample, the device's ID, time of record, current set point, currentoutside temperature, energy used per minute, power time rate, and driftrate (assuming that either a power time rate or a drift rate has beendetermined). However, if there is an existing record, then the ALD 100updates (884) the existing record by averaging the new data (includingenergy usage, drift rate, and power time rate) with the existing dataand storing the result in the repository 500.

If the ALD 100 determines (806) that the received data comes from anenvironmentally-independent device, then the ALD 100 determines (842)the energy used per minute for the device and further determines (844)the energy saved per minute for the device. The ALD 100 then searchesthe repository 500 (e.g., ALD database (124)) to determine (890) whetherthere is already a record for the device for the applicable time period.If there is no existing record, then the ALD 100 creates (892) a newrecord using the device's ID, time of record, current time block, energyused per minute, and energy saved per minute. However, if there is anexisting record, then the ALD 100 updates (894) the existing record byaveraging the new data (including energy usage and energy savings) forthe time block with the existing data for the time block and stores theresult in the repository 500. For environmentally-independent devices,energy usage and energy savings are saved with respect to a block orperiod of time.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 900 providingsteps executed by the ALD 100 to project or estimate the energy usageexpected of a device during a future time period in a given environmentsetting, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Thesteps of FIG. 9 are preferably implemented as a set of computerinstructions (software) stored in memory (not shown) of the ALD 100 andexecuted by one or more processors 160 of the ALD 100. In accordancewith one embodiment, the operational flow of FIG. 9 may be executed bythe power savings application 120 of the ALD 100 when a utilityoperator, or other operator of the ALD 100, wants to project the energyusage for a device over a specified time period in the future, such asduring a period of time in which a control event is to occur.

The following information may be provided as parameters to theoperational flow of FIG. 9: the device ID, the start time of the futuretime period, the end time of the future time period, the manage mode ofthe device, and, for an environmentally-independent device, a binarycontrol factor. The manage mode is either “control” or “normal” toindicate whether the device is being measured during a control event orduring normal operation, respectively. The binary control factor ispreferably utilized for environmentally-independent devices andrepresents the duty cycle of the device. For example, if a water heater40 runs at 20% duty cycle, the binary control factor is 0.2.

Initially, the ALD 100 (e.g., power savings application 120) determines(902) a future time period based on the start and stop times. The futuretime period may be set by the utility implementing the load controlprocedure of the present invention or a second utility that hasrequested delivery of operating reserve power from the utilityimplementing the load control procedure of the present invention. Afterthe time period at issue is known, the power savings application 120begins the procedure for projecting or estimating the amount of powerthat can be saved as the result of execution of a control event duringthe future time period. Accordingly, the power savings application 120analyzes the devices to be controlled during the control event. Thus,the power savings application 120 determines (904) whether the devicesinclude both environmentally-dependent and environmentally-independent(e.g., binary state) devices. For each environmentally-dependent device,the power savings application 120 determines (920) whether the device isin environment controlling (e.g., heating or cooling) mode. Next, thepower savings application 120 retrieves (922) the anticipated set pointsfor the device during the future time period of the control event andobtains (924) information regarding the outside environmentalcharacteristic(s) (e.g., the outside temperatures) expected during thecontrol event time period. The power savings application 120 then makesprojections (926) about the device's expected power consumption behaviorduring the future time period. In one embodiment, the projectiondetermination of block 926 is implemented using a best match algorithm,as described in detail below with respect to FIG. 10, to find storedrepository records that best match the behavior of the device for eachcombination of set points, outside environmental characteristics (e.g.,temperatures), and time periods, as measured and stored using the logicflow of FIG. 8. The power consumption behavior of the device is used todetermine the amount of energy that would be expected to be used by thedevice if the control event did not occur and, thus, the amount ofenergy estimated or expected to be saved per unit time during thecontrol event. The power savings application 120 multiplies (928) thesaved power per unit time by the time duration of the future controlevent to determine the total amount of energy projected to be used bythe device in the absence of the control event. The power savingsapplication returns (980) the total projected amount of energy used bythe device in the absence of the proposed control event.

However, if the power savings application 120 determines (904) that theproposed control event is to affect an environmentally-independentdevice, then the power savings application 120 determines (960) whetherthe device is currently scheduled to be on or off during the proposedtime period of the control event. Next, the power savings application120 creates, obtains, or otherwise determines (962) a list of timeblocks for the specified control event time period. The power savingsapplication 120 then makes projections (964) about the device's powerconsumption behavior during the future, control event time period. Inone embodiment, the projection determination of block 964 is implementedusing a best match algorithm, as described in detail below with respectto FIG. 10, to find stored repository records that best match thebehavior of the device for each combination of set points, outsideenvironmental characteristics (e.g., temperatures), and time periods, asmeasured and stored using the logic flow of FIG. 8. The powerconsumption behavior of the device is used to determine the amount ofenergy that would be expected to be used by the device if the controlevent did not occur and, thus, the amount of energy estimated orexpected to be saved per unit time during the control event. Next, thepower savings application 120 multiplies (968) the saved power per unittime by the time duration of the future control event to determine thetotal amount of energy projected to be used in the absence of thecontrol event. If the projected energy savings is based on powerconsumption during a previous control event (970), then the powersavings application 120 multiplies (972) the total amount of energytimes the binary control factor to determine the amount of energyprojected to be used by the device in the absence of the control event.The power savings application returns (980) the total projected amountof energy used by the device in the absence of the proposed controlevent.

One or ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize and appreciatethat the operational flow of FIG. 9 may be used for each controlleddevice at a service point, for the controlled devices at multipleservice points, or for all the controlled devices at all the servicepoints supplied or supported by a utility. The total projected energyusage by the devices may be aggregated across a single service point,for all service points within a group, and/or for all groups served bythe utility.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 1000 providingsteps executed by the ALD 100 for estimating power consumption behaviorof a device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. The algorithm or operational flow illustrated in FIG. 10provides one embodiment for implementing steps 926 and 964 of FIG. 9.The operational flow of FIG. 10 determines which record or records inthe sampling repository 500 provides the closest match to a givenenvironment or operational setting for use in projecting device energyusage/savings during a time period of a future control event, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps ofFIG. 10 are preferably implemented as a set of computer instructions(software) stored in memory (not shown) of the ALD 100 and executed byone or more processors 160 of the ALD 100. The operational flow of FIG.10 may be initiated by the ALD 100 when trying to identify or determinethe sampling repository record or records that best match the powerconsumption behavior of a device in a specific setting.

In one embodiment, the operational flow of FIG. 10 is called duringexecution of the operational flow of FIG. 9 as noted above. When socalled, the operational flow of FIG. 9 provides the operational flow ofFIG. 10 with parameters that indicate the type of records to besearched. These parameters include, but are not limited to: a device ID,a duty mode (either on or off), a time period (e.g., corresponding tothe time period of the proposed future control event), a set pointdelta, a delta or variance related to one or more environmentalcharacteristics (e.g., outside temperature), and a time block delta.Duty mode signifies the duty cycle of the device. If the duty mode isTRUE or ON, significant power is being consumed. If the duty mode isFALSE or OFF, significant power is not being consumed (i.e., power isbeing saved). Duty cycle exists for switch-controlled, binary state, orenvironmentally-independent devices which go ON and OFF irrespective ofthe influence or affect of environment. For HVAC devices 50, duty modeis always ON. Set point delta is the amount a set point may be variedduring a search in order to find a matching repository record. Outsidetemperature/environmental characteristic delta is the number oftemperature degrees or other change in environmental characteristicsover which data relating to the outside temperature or otherenvironmental characteristics may be varied during a search in order tofind a matching repository record. Time block delta is the amount oftime a time block may be varied during a search in order to find amatching repository record.

Initially, the ALD 100 determines (1002) whether the requestedrepository search relates to an environmentally-dependent device or anenvironmentally-independent device. If the search relates to anenvironmentally-dependent device, then the ALD 100 attempts to find(1004) power consumption records in the sampling repository 500 thatmatch the device ID, duty mode, environmental characteristic (e.g.,temperature) set point, and associated outside environmentalcharacteristic data. Power consumption records include power consumptiondata, such as power consumed, current drawn, duty cycle, operatingvoltage, operating impedance, time period of use, set points, ambientand outside temperatures during use (as applicable), and/or variousother energy use data. If a record exists that matches all the powerconsumption search criteria, such record would be considered the recordthat most closely matches the given environment setting. If no exactmatch is found (1010), then the ALD 100 begins looking for records thatslightly differ from the given environment setting. In one embodiment,the ALD 100 incrementally increases or decreases (1012) theenvironment-related search criteria (e.g., temperature set point and/oroutside/ambient temperature) using the set point delta and the outsidetemperature/environmental characteristic delta as a guide to look forrelevant records. Such incremental/iterative modification of the searchcriteria continues until either relevant records are found or someapplicable limit (e.g., as indicated by the set point delta and/or otherparameter deltas) is reached.

If the ALD 100 determines (1002) that the search relates to anenvironmentally-independent device, then the ALD 100 attempts to find(1040) power consumption records in the sampling repository 500 thatmatch the device ID, duty mode, and time of operation (corresponding tothe expected, future time of the control event). If a record is notfound that matches all the search criteria (1070), then the ALD 100modifies its search to look for records that slightly differ from thegiven environment setting. In one embodiment, the ALD 100 modifies itssearch by incrementally increasing or decreasing (1072) the time ofoperation for a given duty mode. The iterative searching continues untileither relevant records are found or some applicable limit (e.g., asindicated by the time block delta or other parameter deltas) is reached.Any records that were found as a result of the search are provided(1060) to the requesting program (e.g., the operational flow of FIG. 9).The result of the operational flow of FIG. 10 is a set of one or morepower consumption records from the sampling repository 500 that are theclosest match to the given environment or proposed control eventsetting.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 1100 providingsteps executed by the ALD 100 to project energy savings through powerinterruption or reduction to a device during a control event, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps ofFIG. 11 are preferably implemented as a set of computer instructions(software) stored in memory (not shown) of the ALD 100 and executed byone or more processors 160 of the ALD 100. As with the operational flowof FIG. 9, the operational flow of FIG. 11 may be executed by the powersavings application 120 when an operator of the utility or of the ALD100 wants to project the energy savings for a device over a specifiedtime period during operation of a control event.

The following information may be provided as parameters to theoperational flow of FIG. 11: a device ID, a start time of the controlevent, an end time of the control event, and a binary control factor, asdescribed above in connection with FIG. 9. Initially, the ALD 100 (e.g.,power savings application 120) projects (1102) the energy usage/powerconsumption for the device during normal operation within the expectedtime period of the control event using, for example, the operationalflow of FIG. 9. Next, the power savings application 120 projects (1104)the power consumption for the device during the control event using, forexample, the operational flow of FIG. 9. For example, depending on theduty cycle, set points, drift or drift rate, power time, and otherparameters for the device, the device may be projected to be on andconsuming power for some amount of time during the time period of thecontrol event. Thus, both the expected amount of power consumed duringnormal operation (i.e., in the absence of any control event) and theexpected amount of power consumed during the control event aredetermined to accurately assess any possible power savings as a resultof the control event. After the two projected power consumption valueshave been determined, the power savings application 120 calculates(1106) the difference between the two values, which is the projectedpower consumption for the device during the control event time period.Because the projected power consumption will not be realized during thecontrol event, such power consumption corresponds directly to an amountof energy saved during the control event. The power savings application120 returns (1108) the projected energy savings value. One of ordinaryskill in the art will readily recognize and appreciate that the powersavings application 120 may aggregate the projected power savings forall controlled devices at a service point 20, for all controlled devicesat service points within a group, or for controlled devices within allservice point groups served by the utility to obtain an aggregate amountof power savings as a result of a control event.

Another context in which the ALMS 10 may be utilized is in conjunctionwith other renewable energy sources. A number of renewable energysources, such as wind power and solar power, are variable in nature.That is, such energy sources do not generate power at a constant rate.For example, wind increases or decreases from moment to moment. Windturbines can generate a large amount of power due to large winds or canstop generating completely due to lack of any wind. Solar panels may beable to generate a great deal of power on very sunny days, a littlepower on cloudy days, and virtually no power at night.

As a result, power utilities that make use of renewable energy mustcompensate for the under-generation or over-generation of power fromthose sources. When renewable energy sources are under-generating, theALMS 10 may utilize the processes disclosed above to provide additionaloperating reserve to compensate for the lack of power generation by therenewable energy source and for the effects resulting therefrom,including output frequency instability. For example, a utility utilizingwind or solar energy sources may further incorporate the ALMS 10 intothe utility distribution system to provide regulating reserve duringtime periods of under-generation.

FIG. 12 is a graph that depicts the “load profile” of a utility over apredetermined time period, showing actual energy usage as well asprojected energy usage determined with and without a control event inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Theload profile graph depicts the following: [0085] a. Baseline powerconsumption 1202. This is the total possible load of, or power consumedby, all controlled devices over a specified period of time. [0086] b.Projected interruptible load usage 1204 (i.e., projected load or energyusage with a control event) for all controlled devices at all servicepoints (or at selected service points) served by the utility in theabsence of a control event. The projected interruptible load usage maybe determined in one embodiment through execution of the operationalflow of FIG. 9. The projected interruptible load available 1204indicates the load for all controlled devices if they are controlled100% of the time using customer preferences. [0087] c. Projectedinterruptible load available 1206 (i.e., projected energy used when nocontrol events are used) for all controlled devices at all servicepoints (or at selected service points) served by the utility during acontrol event. The projected interruptible load usage may be determinedin one embodiment through execution of the operational flow of FIG. 11.

d. Actual interruptible load usage 1208 for all controlled devices atall service points (or at selected service points) served by theutility. The actual interruptible load usage 1208 is the power that iscurrently being used by all controlled devices. This type of loadprofile graph may be generated for all controlled devices at a servicepoint 20, for controlled devices at all service points within a group,or for controlled devices at all groups served by the utility.

In the load profile graph of FIG. 12, the capacity under contract isshown as a straight double line at the top of the graph and indicatesthe baseline power consumption 1202. The baseline power consumption 1202represents the total amount of power that the utility is obligated toprovide. The actual interruptible load usage 1208 is the actual energyusage of all devices controlled by the utility. The projectedinterruptible load usage 1204 at the bottom of the load profile graph isthe projected energy used when control events are used, and theprojected interruptible load available 1206 is the projected energyusage when control events are not used. The difference between theprojected interruptible load usage 1204 and the projected interruptibleload available 1206 is the capacity that may be used for operatingreserve, including regulating reserve, spinning reserve, andnon-spinning reserve.

Normally, when a utility observes energy demand that is near its peakcapacity, it will attempt to initiate control events for customers whovoluntarily participate in power saving programs (i.e., flexibleload-shape programs, as described earlier). Typically, these controlevents will provide sufficient capacity to prevent the utility fromusing non-spinning reserve. However, there are situations in which asufficient number of customers may have manually decided to opt out ofpower saving programs and, as a result, the utility would be unable torecover enough energy to meet its spinning reserve needs from itsremaining customers who voluntarily participate in the program. Such asituation could happen, for instance, on a very hot day when many peopleare home, such as on a holiday or a day over the weekend. In such acase, the utility would still be in danger of using non-spinning reserveor even running out of reserve capacity altogether. In such a situation,the utility would be in a “critical control” mode. In critical controlmode, the utility may override all customer preferences, including boththose who voluntarily participate in power saving programs and those whodo not. During periods of critical control, the utility may utilize theALD 100 to adjust settings of environmentally-dependent devices tosettings outside of normal comfort preferences (but notlife-threatening). Invoking critical control enables a utility to returnpower demand to acceptable levels.

Use of the ALMS 10 may help a utility mitigate the likelihood ofcritical control situations. For example, whenever a customer overridesor opts out of a control event, the ALMS 10, using the techniquesdisclosed herein, finds additional customers who may be the target of avoluntary control event. Analogously, when controlled devices that areparticipating in a control event are required to exit the control eventdue to customer preferences (e.g., the amount of time that thecustomer's devices may participate in a control event), the ALD 100 mayrelease such devices from the control event and replace them with othervoluntarily controlled devices. The replacement devices would thenpreferably supply, through deferment, at least the same amount ofreserve power as was being sourced by the devices that were releasedfrom the control event. Thus, the system 10 of the present inventionincreases the likelihood that a utility will be able to spread controlevents to other customers before invoking critical control.

In a further embodiment, the entire ALMS 10 described in FIG. 3 may alsobe implemented in a proprietary network that is IP-based, real-time,temperature-derived, verifiable, interactive, two-way, and responsive toAutomatic Generation Control (AGC) commands to produce operating reservepower through implementation of control events.

In an additional embodiment of the present invention, the sampling datastored in the repository 500 using the operational flow of FIG. 5 couldalso include other factors (called “variability factors”) related topower consumption, such as day of the week, humidity, amount ofsunshine, or number of people in the household. This additional datawould allow the projected energy usage and projected energy savings tobe more accurate based on these additional factors. To make use of thisdata, the ALD 100 may obtain the additional data from sources withinand/or external to the ALMS 10, such as weather databases, live weatherfeeds from sources such as National Weather Reporting stations, outdoorsensors 94, or any weather related input device commercially availableon a real time or predictive basis, calendars, and voluntary customerfeedback. Some of the variability factor measurements are available frompublic sources, while others are available via private sources.

In another alternative embodiment of the present invention, transmissionline loss may be included in the projected energy savings determinationof FIG. 11. As those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize andappreciate, the amount of power supplied by a utility to source a deviceremote from the utility equals the amount of power required by thedevice plus the amount of power lost in the transmission lines betweenthe utility's power generation plant and the location of the device.Thus, the projected energy savings resulting from a control event may bedetermined by determining an amount of power expected to be consumed bythe controlled device or devices at a service point, at multiple servicepoints or throughout the entire service area of the utility during thetime period of the control event absent occurrence of the control eventto produce first energy savings, determining an amount of power that isnot expected to be dissipated in transmission lines as a result of notdelivering power to the controlled device or devices during the controlevent to produce second energy savings, and summing the first energysavings and the second energy savings.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, the operating reserve(e.g., spinning reserve or regulating reserve) determined by a utilityusing the techniques disclosed above can be sold to a requesting utility1306, as illustrated in FIG. 13, which is essentially a replication ofFIG. 9 of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0063228 A1,which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As explainedin U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009/0063228 A1, the savedpower may then be distributed to the requesting utility 1306 aftercommencement of the control event (e.g., during and/or after completionof the control event) conducted by the selling utility. The sellingutility may be a virtual utility 1302 or a serving utility 1304 asillustrated in FIG. 13 and described in detail in U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2009/0063228 A1, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. Alternatively, a third party mayserve as a managing entity to manage operation of the ALMS 10 and theresultant distribution of operating reserve to a requesting utility 1306subsequent to commencement of a control event.

In yet another embodiment, the ALD 100 for a utility may determineprojected energy savings for each service point 20 served by the utilityin accordance with the operational flow of FIG. 11 and aggregate theprojected energy savings across all service points served by the utilityto obtain the total projected energy savings from which operatingreserve may be determined as described above.

In a further embodiment, instead of or in addition to using theoperational flow of FIG. 10 in an attempt to find a best match datapoint in the repository 500 for use in estimating power consumptionbehavior of a device when the time period of the control event does notcorrespond to a time period in the repository 500, the ALD 100 maydetermine whether the repository 500 includes power consumption data forthe device during time periods before and after the expected time periodof the control event and, if so, interpolate a value corresponding to anamount of power expected to be consumed by the device during the timeperiod of the control event based on the power consumption data for thedevice during the time periods before and after the expected time periodof the control event. However, more preferably, the power supply value(PSV) associated with each of the at least one power consuming device(s)is used to determine or generate the power consumption behavior andcommercial value for the response to the control event associated withthe power consuming device(s).

The present invention provides systems and methods that receive electricpower from an electric power grid, the systems and methods including: atleast one power consuming device that requires electric power tooperate; at least one controllable device operably coupled to the atleast one power consuming device, the at least one controllable deviceoperable to control a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device responsive to power controlinstructions, wherein each of the at least one power consuming deviceshas a corresponding power supply value (PSV); a backup power subsystemoperably coupled to the at least one power consuming device, the backuppower subsystem operable to automatically supply electric power to theat least one power consuming device when a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one power consuming device drops below athreshold; and a client device operable to receive power controlmessages from a remote system control component and provide powercontrol instructions to the at least one controllable device responsiveto the power control messages, wherein a first received power controlmessage instructs the client device to disable a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one power consuming device, and wherein afirst power control instruction instructs the at least one controllabledevice to disable the flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device and causing activation of the backuppower subsystem.

Also, systems and methods for a client device at a base transceiver siteto control a flow of electric power from an electric power grid to acollocated base transceiver system so as to provide operating reservefor to the electric power grid, the base transceiver system including atleast one base transceiver unit operable to provide wirelesscommunication capability, a controllable device operable to control aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit, and a backup power subsystem operable to supplyelectric power to the at least one base transceiver unit when a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one base transceiver unitdrops below a threshold, the method including the steps of: receivingpower control messages from a remote system control component, at leasta first received power control message instructing the client device todisable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit; and providing a first power control instruction to theat least one controllable device responsive to the first received powercontrol message, the first power control instruction instructing the atleast one controllable device to disable a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one base transceiver unit, therebycausing activation of the backup power subsystem, wherein an amount ofgrid-supplied electric power saved as a result of disabling a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one base transceiver unitprovides operating reserve for the electric power grid.

Also, in another embodiment, method for a client device located at anelectrical service point to control a flow of electric power from anelectric power grid to the service point so as to provide operatingreserve to the electric power grid, the service point including at leastone power consuming device operable to consume electric power, at leastone controllable device operable to control a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one power consuming device, and a backuppower subsystem operable to supply electric power to the at least onepower consuming device when a flow of grid-supplied electric power tothe at least one power consuming device is reduced below a threshold,the method including the steps of: receiving power control messages froma remote system control component, at least a first power controlmessage instructing the client device to disable a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one power consuming device; and providinga first power control instruction to the at least one controllabledevice responsive to the first power control message, the first powercontrol instruction instructing the at least one controllable device todisable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one powerconsuming device, thereby causing activation of the backup powersubsystem, wherein an amount of grid-supplied electric power saved as aresult of disabling a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device provides operating reserve for theelectric power grid based upon a power supply value (PSV) associatedwith each of the at least one power consuming device(s).

In yet another embodiment, a requesting utility may utilize a method foracquiring operating reserve power from a sourcing utility. According tothis embodiment, the requesting utility requests operating reserve powerfrom the sourcing utility sufficiently in advance of a transfer time atwhich the operating reserve power will be needed so as to facilitatemeasurable and verifiable load-controlled generation of the operatingreserve power. The load-controlled generation of the operating reservepower results from a determination of operating reserve as detailedabove with respect to FIGS. 7-12. The requesting utility receives anacknowledgment from the sourcing utility indicating that the sourcingutility will supply the operating reserve power at the transfer time.Then, at the transfer time and for a time period thereafter, therequesting utility receives at least some of the operating reserve powerfrom the sourcing utility.

In a further embodiment, the operating reserve determination techniquesmay be utilized by a virtual utility 1302 as disclosed in U.S. PatentApplication Publication No. US 2009/0063228 A1, which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety. For example, the virtual utility1302 may be operable to at least offer energy to one or more requestingutilities 1306 for use as operating reserve for the requesting utilities1306. In such a case, the virtual utility 1302 may include, among otherthings, a repository 500 and a processor 160 (e.g., within an ALD 100).In this embodiment, the processor 160 is operable to remotely determine,during at least one period of time, power consumed by at least onedevice to produce power consumption data. The processor 160 is furtheroperable to store the power consumption data in the repository 500 and,at the appropriate time, determine an expected, future time period for acontrol event during which power is to be reduced to the device ordevices. The processor 160 is also operable to estimate, prior tocommencement of the control event, power consumption behavior expectedof the device or devices during the time period of the control eventbased at least on the stored power consumption data. The processor 160is further operable to determine, prior to commencement of the controlevent, projected energy savings resulting from the control event basedat least on the estimated power consumption behavior of the device ordevices. Still further, the processor 160 is operable to determine,prior to commencement of the control event, operating reserve based onthe projected energy savings. After determination of the operatingreserve, the processor 160 is operable to communicate an offer to supplythe operating reserve to a requesting utility 1306 or utilities.

As described above, the present invention encompasses a system andmethod for determining operating reserve capacity using an ALD orcomparable device, software, or combination thereof so that theoperating reserve capacity may be made available to the power utilitythat generated the operating reserve through load control or to thepower market generally (e.g., via the FERC grid). When a utilityrequires power beyond its native load, the utility must make use of itsoperating reserve or acquire the additional power via the FERC grid fromother utilities. As discussed above, one type of operating reserve isspinning reserve. Spinning reserve is additional generating capacitythat is already connected to the power system and, thus, is almostimmediately available. In accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention, the ALD makes spinning reserve available to a utility. Thus,through use of the ALD, a utility (power generating utility or a virtualutility) can determine or project spinning reserve or other operatingreserve that is available through interruptible power savings at servicepoints. The spinning reserve is measurable and verifiable, and can beprojected for a number of days in advance, and such projections can besold to other utilities on the open market.

As disclosed above, the ALD 100 may be considered to implement a type offlexible load-shape program. However, in contrast to conventional loadcontrol programs, the load-shape program implemented by the ALD 100projects an amount of operating reserve resulting from selective controlof devices (loads) based on known, real-time customer preferences. Inaddition, due to its communication and control mechanisms, the ALD 100can project power savings, as well as operating reserve (e.g.,regulating, spinning and/or non-spinning reserve) that is active,real-time, verifiable, and measurable so as to comply with protocols andtreaties established for the determination of carbon credits andoffsets, as well as renewable energy credits. The information acquiredby the ALD 100 is not simply samples of customer preferences and data,but actual power consumption information.

In the foregoing specification, the present invention has been describedwith reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as set forth in the appended exemplary claims. For example,the passive sampling algorithm of FIG. 8, the projected energy usagealgorithm of FIG. 9, the best sampling match algorithm of FIG. 10, andthe projected energy savings algorithm of FIG. 11 may be performed byone or more equivalent means. Accordingly, the specification anddrawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within thescope of the present invention.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to specific embodiments of the presentinvention. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, andany element(s) that may cause or result in such benefits, advantages, orsolutions to become more pronounced are not to be construed as acritical, required, or essential feature or element of any or all theclaims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims includingany amendments made during the pendency of this application and allequivalents of those claims as issued.

1. A system that receives electric power from an electric power grid,the system comprising: at least one power consuming device that requireselectric power to operate; at least one controllable device operablycoupled to the at least one power consuming device, the at least onecontrollable device operable to control a flow of grid-supplied electricpower to the at least one power consuming device responsive to powercontrol instructions, wherein each of the at least one power consumingdevices has a corresponding power supply value (PSV); a backup powersubsystem operably coupled to the at least one power consuming device,the backup power subsystem operable to automatically supply electricpower to the at least one power consuming device when a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming devicedrops below a threshold; and a client device operable to receive powercontrol messages from a remote system control component and providepower control instructions to the at least one controllable deviceresponsive to the power control messages, wherein a first received powercontrol message instructs the client device to disable a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device,and wherein a first power control instruction instructs the at least onecontrollable device to disable the flow of grid-supplied electric powerto the at least one power consuming device and causing activation of thebackup power subsystem.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a second powercontrol message instructs the client device to enable a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device,and wherein a second power control instruction instructs the at leastone controllable device to enable the flow of grid-supplied electricpower to the at least one power consuming device.
 3. The system of claim2, wherein the second power control instruction further causesde-activation of the backup power subsystem, the second power controlmessage being received by the client device after the first powercontrol message and upon expiration of a predetermined time period. 4.The system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period correspondsto a time period for a control event during which an electric utilityand/or any market participant associated with an electric power gridsupplies operating reserve to the electric power grid.
 5. The system ofclaim 2, wherein the predetermined time period corresponds to a timeperiod for a control event during which an electric utility suppliesregulating reserve to the electric power grid.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein the client device and the at least one controllable device areintegrated into a single hardware component.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the client device is integrated into a smart meter.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the backup power subsystem is at least one ofa battery backup system, a backup generator system, a backup solar powersystem, and a backup hydrogen fuel cell system.
 9. The system of claim1, wherein the system is installed at a base transceiver site of awireless communication system and wherein the at least one powerconsuming device includes at least one base transceiver unit operable toprovide wireless communication capability.
 10. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one power consuming device includes at least one ofa data center, a mobile switching center, and a central office telephoneswitch.
 11. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a frequencysynchronizer coupled to the backup power subsystem and the electricalgrid, the frequency synchronizer operable to deliver power supplied bythe backup power subsystem to the electrical grid at an alternatingcurrent frequency used by the electric power grid.
 12. The system ofclaim 11, wherein the power delivered to the electric power grid by thefrequency synchronizer is power in excess of power required to operatethe at least one power consuming device when a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one power consuming device drops belowthe threshold.
 13. A method for a client device located at an electricalservice point to control a flow of electric power from an electric powergrid to the service point so as to provide operating reserve to theelectric power grid, the service point including at least one powerconsuming device operable to consume electric power, at least onecontrollable device operable to control a flow of grid-supplied electricpower to the at least one power consuming device, and a backup powersubsystem operable to supply electric power to the at least one powerconsuming device when a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device is reduced below a threshold, themethod comprising: receiving power control messages from a remote systemcontrol component, at least a first power control message instructingthe client device to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power tothe at least one power consuming device; and providing a first powercontrol instruction to the at least one controllable device responsiveto the first power control message, the first power control instructioninstructing the at least one controllable device to disable a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device,thereby causing activation of the backup power subsystem, wherein anamount of grid-supplied electric power saved as a result of disabling aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consumingdevice provides operating reserve for the electric power grid based upona power supply value (PSV) associated with each of the at least onepower consuming device(s).
 14. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising: receiving a second power control message from the remotesystem control component, the second power control message instructingthe client device to enable a flow of grid-supplied electric power tothe at least one power consuming device; and providing a second powercontrol instruction to the at least one controllable device responsiveto the second power control message, the second power controlinstruction instructing the at least one controllable device to enable aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least power consumingdevice.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second power controlmessage is received upon expiration of a control event during which anelectric utility supplies operating reserve to the electric power grid.16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first power control messageindicates at least one of an amount of electric power to be reduced andan identification of at least one controllable device to be instructedto disable a flow of electric power to one or more associated powerconsuming devices, and generating the power supply value (PSV) therefor.17. A method for a client device located at an electrical service pointto control a flow of electric power from an electric power grid to theservice point, the service point including at least one power consumingdevice operable to consume electric power, at least one controllabledevice operable to control a flow of grid-supplied electric power to theat least one power consuming device, and a backup power subsystemoperable to supply electric power to the at least one power consumingdevice when a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least onepower consuming device is reduced below a threshold, the methodcomprising: receiving power control messages from a remote systemcontrol component, at least a first power control message instructingthe client device to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power tothe at least one power consuming device; and providing a first powercontrol instruction to the at least one controllable device responsiveto the first power control message, the first power control instructioninstructing the at least one controllable device to disable a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming device,thereby causing activation of the backup power subsystem, wherein anamount of grid-supplied electric power saved as a result of disabling aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least power consumingdevice functions as operating reserve for the electric power grid, andis based on a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to each of the atleast one power-consuming device(s) and the power saved associated withthem.
 18. A system controller for use in a system that managesconsumption of power supplied by at least one electric utility and/orany market participant associated with an electric power grid to aplurality of power consuming devices to the electric power grid, whereinpower flow to the plurality of power consuming devices is controlled bya plurality of controllable devices, wherein the plurality ofcontrollable devices operate under the control of one or more clientdevices, and wherein at least one of the plurality of power consumingdevices is located at an electrical service point that includes a backuppower subsystem, the system controller comprising: an event manageroperable to generate power control event instructions, at least one ofthe power control event instructions requiring a reduction of electricpower consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices wherein eachof the power consuming devices has a corresponding power supply value(PSV); a database operable to store information relating to powerconsumed by the plurality of power consuming devices; and a clientdevice manager operable to select, based on the information stored inthe database and responsive to a power control event instructionrequiring a reduction of electric power, at least one client device towhich to communicate a power control message, wherein the at least oneclient device is located at the service point that includes the backuppower subsystem, and wherein the power control message instructs the atleast one client device to disable power to one or more power consumingdevices, each having a corresponding power supply value (PSV) and eachlocated at the service point so as to cause activation of the backuppower subsystem.
 19. The system controller of claim 18, wherein the atleast one power control event instruction implements a power cyclingsequence for the backup power subsystem, wherein the backup powersubsystem is a backup battery system.
 20. A method for a subsystemlocated at an electrical service point to reduce consumption of electricpower supplied from an electric power grid to a service point, thesubsystem including a client device in communication with a remotelylocated system control component and operable to control a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to at least one power consuming devicelocated at the service point, and a backup power subsystem operable tosupply electric power to the at least one power consuming device when aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consumingdevice is reduced below a threshold, the method comprising: receiving,by the client device, a power control message from the remote systemcontrol component, the power control message instructing the clientdevice to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at leastone power consuming device; disabling, by the client device, a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming deviceresponsive to the power control message; determining, by the backuppower subsystem, that the flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device has dropped below the thresholdresponsive to disablement of the grid-supplied electric power by theclient device; and supplying, by the backup power subsystem, electricpower for use by the at least one power consuming device responsive todetermining that the flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one power consuming device has dropped below a threshold, whereinthe electric power supplied to the at least one power consumingdevice(s) has a corresponding power supply value (PSV).
 21. The methodof claim 20, wherein the subsystem further includes a frequencysynchronizer coupled to the backup power subsystem and the electricalgrid, the method further comprising: synchronizing, by the frequencysynchronizer, a frequency of the electric power supplied by the backuppower subsystem to an alternating current frequency used by theelectrical grid so as to deliver at least some of the electric powersupplied by the backup power subsystem to the electric power grid. 22.The method of claim 21, wherein the power delivered to the electricalgrid by the frequency synchronizer is power in excess of power requiredto operate the at least one power consuming device when the flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one power consuming devicehas dropped below the threshold.
 23. A base transceiver system thatreceives electric power from an electric power grid, the basetransceiver system comprising: at least one base transceiver unitoperable to provide wireless communication capability, the at least onebase transceiver unit requiring electric power to operate; at least onecontrollable device operably coupled to the at least one basetransceiver unit, the at least one controllable device operable tocontrol a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit responsive to power control instructions; a backuppower subsystem operably coupled to the at least one base transceiverunit, the backup power subsystem operable to supply electric power tothe at least one base transceiver unit when a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one base transceiver unit drops below athreshold; and a client device operable to receive power controlmessages from a remote system control component and provide powercontrol instructions to the at least one controllable device responsiveto the power control messages, wherein a first received power controlmessage instructs the client device to disable a flow of grid-suppliedelectric power to the at least one base transceiver unit, and generatinga power supply value (PSV) corresponding thereto, and wherein a firstpower control instruction instructs the at least one controllable deviceto disable the flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least onebase transceiver unit, thereby causing activation of the backup powersubsystem.
 24. The base transceiver system of claim 23, wherein a secondpower control message instructs the client device to enable a flow ofgrid-supplied electric power to the at least one base transceiver unit,and wherein a second power control instruction instructs the at leastone controllable device to enable the flow of grid-supplied electricpower to the at least one base transceiver unit, thereby causingde-activation of the backup power subsystem, the second power controlmessage being received by the client device after the first powercontrol message and upon expiration of a predetermined time period. 25.The base transceiver system of claim 24, wherein the predetermined timeperiod corresponds to a time period for a control event during which anelectric utility supplies operating reserve to the electric power grid.26. The base transceiver system of claim 24, wherein the predeterminedtime period corresponds to a time period for a control event duringwhich an electric utility supplies regulating reserve to the electricpower grid.
 27. The base transceiver system of claim 23, wherein theclient device and the at least one controllable device are integratedinto a single hardware component.
 28. The base transceiver system ofclaim 23, wherein the client device is integrated into a smart meter.29. The base transceiver system of claim 23, wherein the backup powersubsystem is at least one of a battery backup system, a backup generatorsystem, a backup solar power system, and a backup hydrogen fuel cellsystem.
 30. The base transceiver system of claim 23, further comprising:a frequency synchronizer coupled to the backup power subsystem and theelectrical grid, the frequency synchronizer operable to deliver powersupplied by the backup power subsystem to the electrical grid at analternating current frequency used by the electric power grid.
 31. Thebase transceiver system of claim 30, wherein the power delivered to theelectrical grid by the frequency synchronizer is power in excess ofpower required to operate the at least one base transceiver unit when aflow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit drops below the threshold.
 32. A method for a clientdevice at a base transceiver site to control a flow of electric powerfrom an electric power grid to a collocated base transceiver system soas to provide operating reserve for to the electric power grid, the basetransceiver system including at least one base transceiver unit operableto provide wireless communication capability, a controllable deviceoperable to control a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one base transceiver unit, and a backup power subsystem operableto supply electric power to the at least one base transceiver unit whena flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit drops below a threshold, the method comprising:receiving power control messages from a remote system control component,at least a first received power control message instructing the clientdevice to disable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at leastone base transceiver unit; and providing a first power controlinstruction to the at least one controllable device responsive to thefirst received power control message, the first power controlinstruction instructing the at least one controllable device to disablea flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at least one basetransceiver unit, thereby causing activation of the backup powersubsystem, wherein an amount of grid-supplied electric power saved as aresult of disabling a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the atleast one base transceiver unit provides operating reserve for theelectric power grid.
 33. The method of claim 32, wherein the at leastone base transceiver unit has a corresponding power supply value (PSV).34. The method of claim 32, further comprising: upon expiration of apredetermined time period, receiving a second power control message fromthe remote system control component, the second power control messageinstructing the client device to enable a flow of grid-supplied electricpower to the at least one base transceiver unit; and providing a secondpower control instruction to the at least one controllable deviceresponsive to the second received power control message, the secondpower control instruction instructing the at least one controllabledevice to enable a flow of grid-supplied electric power to the at leastone base transceiver unit, thereby causing de-activation of the backuppower subsystem.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the predeterminedperiod of time corresponds to a time period for a control event duringwhich an electric utility and/or any market participant associated withan electric power grid supplies operating reserve to the electric powergrid.